Police have warned drivers that vaping at the wheel could cost them their license.

Although vaping while driving is not illegal, it is up to the discretion of police officers to determine what they deem a potentially dangerous and distracting handheld electronic device.

Those determined to be distracted by e-cigarettes could be prosecuted for driving without due care and attention, the penalty of which can be disqualification, three to nine points on your licence, or a fine of up to £2,500.

Officers have said that vaping - which causes excessive amounts of smoke that could momentarily blind drivers - could result in fatal crashes.

Police have warned drivers that vaping at the wheel could cost them their license. File photo

The warning comes as latest figures reveal more than three million people in the UK now use e-cigarettes, with the majority of them driving.

Sergeant Carl Knapp, with the Sussex Road Policing Unit, said: 'The smoke caused by vapes are a distraction and the consequences of them can be dire, all it takes is a moment to become distracted and potentially cause a crash and even worse, a fatality.

'Attempting any type of activity that takes your eyes off the road increases your chances of causing a crash, and killing or seriously injuring someone.

'Our roads are busy places, and we would urge drivers to keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel at all times.'

Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at RoSPA, added: 'Vaping while driving could easily impair a driver's ability to drive safely, which could increase the chances of crashing.'

Road unit police said that although no new laws will be passed to directly relate to driving and vaping they will use the power they already have to make sure everyone is driving in line with the law.

A spokesperson for the Department of Transport said: 'We believe that drivers should always follow the rules set out by the highway code and must always exercise proper control of their vehicle and avoid any distractions, including vaping.'